Something had to provoke the beating and information is leaking out to what that was.

Montee Ball — and several of his University of Wisconsin football teammates — may have been involved in a fight several days before the 2011 Heisman Trophy finalist was attacked on campusyesterday … TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ … cops have received tips about a brawl at a UW football player’s home roughly one week before Ball was jumped on campus.

According to our sources, cops have been told Ball was at the home … and along with some of his teammates, may have participated in beating up a non-football player.

But sources tell us … investigators are now looking into the possibility that Wednesday’s attack on Ball was in retaliation for last week’s incident.

This makes a lot more sense.

Anyone who has seen Menace to Society knows that if you beat up a guy, it is possible he is going to come back with his crew to get some payback.

Not saying it was Ball who did it, but if he watched and laughed, then he deserved his beat down. I understand why he told the police he didn’t know who did it because if he did it would implicate him in the first beat down.

College life.

It happens, it is over and luckily guys are using their hands and not guns.